Second ChancesThe Toddler Years
by FaithInHim4ever
Summary: When Gloria starts feeling bad that Kassie didn't have the childhood she deserves, the Father allows Gloria to experience raising her daughter at a earlier age by giving her a very different assignment. R/R
1. Chapter 1

DISC: If you recognize them, I don't own them. Martha Williamson does. I only own Kassie and anyone else you don't recognize.

God loves you

A/N: I decided to write this story as a way of getting a brand new Kassie story out there for everyone to enjoy!

"Second Chances-The Toddler Years"

Chapter 1

Gloria smiled as she watched a group of children playing in the ocean and on the beach. She and her two fellow angels and friends, Monica and Tess were spending the day at the beach.

Gloria's daughter, Kassie, was at school.

The just turned nine-year-old loved school with a passion. She especially loved doing work for the Father.

As for Gloria's own case worker, Abby, she was off on her own assignment. She would be joining them after it was over so she could help them with their next one.

Gloria couldn't believe that it had been four years since she had adopted Kassie and had showed her what having a mother and a family was truly about.

The second youngest angel also couldn't believe that it had just been over a year that she had found out that Kassie was an angel herself.

"I can't believe it's been a year." Gloria said as she laid against the sand.

"A year since what?" Monica asked. She smiled lovingly down at her charge.

"A year since Kassie started working for the Father. She really loves being one of His angels."

Monica grinned.

"I know. And she's good at it."

"Better than me?" Gloria asked. She smirked at Monica playfully.

Monica laughed, despite herself.

As Gloria lay there, enjoying the sun, she suddenly glanced up as a woman's voice could be heard yelling at someone.

"Samantha Rose!" A woman's voice called from a blanket. "Samantha, come here now."

A little girl with sandy brown hair and brown eyes came over to where the woman was sitting. She frowned and looked down at the ground.

"How many times have I told you not to throw the ball near the ocean?" The woman asked, her voice still stern.

The little girl, Samantha, shook her head.

"A lot." She finally answered, her voice sad and full of tears.

"That's right. And since you didn't listen, you're going to have to be punished. Time out, five minutes. Sit down." The woman ordered.

"But Mommy, I-" Samantha started to argue, but her mother was adamant.

"No buts, Sammie. I told you what would happen if you disobeyed me one more time. Now sit."

Samantha, Sammie did so. As she did, she stared at the ocean and started to cry.

Monica frowned as did Gloria. They both hated seeing children get into trouble.

"That poor little girl." Gloria said, gazing at the child with sympathy.

Monica nodded.

"I agree." Monica said. "The mother didn't have to be that harsh."

Gloria nodded and frowned. She was remembering Kassie's biological mother and how she had treated her before God brought Gloria into Kassie's life.

Monica noticed and tried to help her feel better.

She was about to say something when they heard another adult yelling at someone.

This voice was a lot harsher than the first woman's had been.

"Sit down and don't move! I should never have brought you here! You're nothing but trouble!"

Gloria shrank back slightly at the loudness of the woman's shout.

She glanced over to see the person she had been directing her rage upon was a little girl no older than three.

The little girl looked a lot like Kassie, except she had green eyes where Kassie's were a brilliant sky blue.

Monica saw Gloria's lower lip starting to quiver and she tried her best to comfort her.

Putting her arm around the younger angle, she pulled her close and wrapped her in a loving and protective hug.

"Shh, shh, it's all right, little one. It's over now. I think she's done yellin'."

Gloria nodded, but she was still highly upset.

"I know. A-but she was so angry and the tha-things sha-she said…and the little girl…Kassie…I mean she…" Gloria's voice trailed off as more tears came.

Tess joined them at that moment. She frowned when she saw Gloria in Monica's arms and how upset she was.

"Little angel?" Tess questioned gently.

Monica explained what had happened while trying to calm Gloria down.

Tess sighed after her former case worker was done her explanation. She put a hand on Gloria's shoulder and patted it.

"Sweetheart, I know it hurts to see children in pain when you can't help them. But you need to know that God will. He knows what those sweet babies need. That's why He sent you to Kassie when He did. His timing is perfect, baby."

"But Ka-Kassie didn't get the chance to have the childhood she should have had. She grew up in fear and she never knew what it was like to have a mother who loved her! Hearing that woman yelling like that, it made me think of her and I just realized how much Kassie missed out."

"It's funny you should say that." Tess said as she put a hand through Gloria's hair.

"What do you mean?" Gloria said as she sniffed back some more tears.

"Well, your next assignment is all about second chances." Tess explained.

"I don't understand." Gloria said as she felt Monica comb a hand through her hair.

"You will soon." Tess said as she started getting their picnic lunch together. "You will soon."

Gloria nodded. She started calming down a few minutes later and was soon back to her old self for the most part.

"Are you feeling better, little one?" Monica asked.

Gloria nodded.

"But what did Tess mean when she said my next assignment is all about second chances?"

"You'll understand soon enough." Monica told her.

This only made Gloria frown in confusion and let out a frustrated sigh.

As Gloria helped Monica and Tess get the picnic lunch prepared, she still couldn't get Kassie off her mind. She just prayed she could help her have the childhood she never got to have.

After a while, Gloria went over to Samantha and introduced herself and asked if the little girl wanted to play a game of catch.

The youngest angel knelt down in front of the little girl and gave her a smile.

"Hi! I'm Gloria. Do you want to play catch with me?"

Samantha gazed up at Gloria and smiled.

"Okay! But I have to ask my Mommy first." With that, she turned to her mother. "Mommy, can I play catch with Gloria?"

Samantha's mother, Ella, nodded. She gave Gloria a smile and mouthed Thank you as Gloria started the game with Sammie.

"It's my pleasure." Gloria said, throwing the ball for Samantha to catch. "I LOVE taking care of kids. I'm a kid at heart myself."

Ella nodded and grinned. She did love her daughter, but she didn't' like it when Samantha disobeyed her.

Tess and Monica watched the interaction between Gloria and Samantha with pride. Their little Gloria had certainly come a long way and both elder angels were proud of her.

"So what's this new assignment of Gloria's all about, Tess?" Monica asked as Tess wrapped an arm around her.

Tess chuckled despite herself.

"You're as impatient as your case worker sometimes, Ms. Wings. You'll find out when she does. But you best believe it will put her thoughts to rest concerning Kassie."

"What makes you say that?" Monica asked.

Tess just shook her head and planted a kiss on Monica's head.

"I LOVE taking care of the wee ones. I get the most joy when my assignment is a child and I show that child God's love. I don't understand how some parents can be so mean to their children. Children are a gift from God."

"You're right, angel girl. Children are a gift from God, but they also need structure and discipline in order to be well behaved and learn right from wrong."

Monica nodded.

"I know." She said. "But there's a way of doin' it that doesn't leave scars."

"You're right about that, angel girl." Tess agreed. "You're right about that."

Ten minutes later, Tess got out the picnic basket and set the food out. She called over to Gloria, telling her it was time to eat.

Gloria, however, had run to retrieve the ball which had strayed a little ways away from their spot, so she didn't hear her.

"Lord, help me with that child." Tess prayed as she was about to yell Gloria's name again.

Monica gave Tess a look.

"Tess, cut Gloria some slack. She's comin'. See?" Monica pointed to Gloria who had just said good bye to Sammie and was heading their way.

"Hey guys! That was a lot of fun!" Gloria then gazed down at the picnic basket and smiled. "Great, lunch! I'm starved!"

Tess gave Gloria a look, but chose to stay silent. She loved her little angel, but sometimes Gloria drove her up the wall.

"What?" Gloria asked, sensing Tess's irritation.

Monica shook her head.

"Never mind, Gloria. Let's pray, then we'll eat. Do you want to say grace?" She offered, taking Gloria's hand before taking Tess's. She squeezed the elder angel's hand gently, sending her a silent signal to drop the subject.

Gloria smiled and proceeded to thank God for the food.

"Father, I just want to thank you for this beautiful day and the food you've provided for us. Your love is amazing as is your grace and I can't thank you enough for creating me for your will. I also want to thank you for putting me in the care of such loving angels as Monica and Tess. They're great and I've learned so much from them, Monica especially. I don't know what I would do without them. Please bless me and help me complete my next assignment. And please bless Kassie and help me give her the life you meant for her to have. I pray all these things in your precious name, Amen."

"Amen" Monica and Tess echoed in unison.

Tess just smiled at Gloria. There were times Gloria drove her nuts, but other times, like now, when she just wanted to hug her and never let her go.

It was true that Gloria was innocent and a little naïve at times, but she had a good head on her shoulders. She was a sweet little angel with a big heart and Tess wouldn't have

her any other way…


	2. Chapter 2

DISC: If you recognize them, I don't own them. Martha Williamson does. I only own Kassie and anyone else you don't recognize.

God loves you

A/N: Here's the next chapter! I hope everyone likes it!

"Second Chances-The Toddler Years"

Chapter 2

During lunchtime, the angels talked amongst themselves as they remembered past assignments. Monica even shared some funny ones with Gloria.

The meal went by without incident. Before the angels knew it, it was over.

Tess and Gloria volunteered to clean up, giving Monica some relaxing time.

After they cleaned up the picnic area, Tess went to throw away the trash while Gloria went to use the restroom.

Tess returned moments later and sat down beside Monica. She took Monica into her arms and gave her a hug.

"I love you, angel girl." Tess said, squeezing Monica's shoulder gently.

"I love you too, Tess. Where did this sudden affection come from?" She asked, knowing Tess had been under some stress lately.

"I just realized that we haven't spent that much time together in the past few days. I didn't want you thinking I didn't love you."

"Tess, I know you love me. Believe me I do. I love you too. And so does Gloria."

"I know. And I love that little angel too."

There was a few minutes of silence.

It was broken by the return of the youngest member of their family.

She had just gone to the bathroom and had stopped off at the canteen to get a drink for the ride back to the house they were staying at for the time being.

As she approached them, she had a worried look on her face.

"Guys, I have a really bad feeling." She told her fellow angels.

"What about?" Monica asked as she and Tess pulled away and the Irish angel turned her full attention to her case worker.

"Kassie." Gloria replied. "Can we leave to pick her up now?"

Both elder angels agreed and they soon left the beach and headed for Kassie's school.

During the ride over, Gloria couldn't ease her worried mind. She had a feeling something was wrong with her daughter and she needed to know she was okay.

The little angel prayed all the way to the school that Kassie was all right.

Finally, halfway to their destination, Gloria got a message from the Father.

She realized a little when He assured her that Kassie was all right physically. But even so, Gloria was still worried for her.

Pulling up in front of the school, Gloria got out of the passenger's side of the car and waited for Monica and Tess to join her.

When niether of them moved, she gave Monica a quizzical look.

"You need to go in alone." Monica explained. "We'll be here waitin' for you."

"Okay." Gloria replied a little uncertainly.

Despite her uneasiness, she trusted Monica above any other angel and she trusted the Father wholeheartedly.

Taking a deep breath, Gloria made her way into the building and to the main office.

As she approached the main desk, the door to the office opened and Kassie's teacher, Miss Harrison, walked in. She looked relieved upon seeing Gloria and rushed up to her.

"Thank goodness you're here." She said. "We need your help. It's Kassie."

"What's wrong? What happened?" Gloria asked worriedly.

"We're not sure." Miss Harrison replied truthfully. "She asked to go to the bathroom over a half an hour ago and she hasn't come out. A few girls who have gone in since said they heard crying coming from a stall, but they can't get inside to check on whoever's in there. We thought you might be able to figure out what's going on."

"I'll try my best." Gloria replied. With that, she left the office and headed for the girls' bathroom on the second floor.

When she got there, Gloria took a deep breath before going inside. She sent a silent prayer up to God as she pushed open the door.

The minute she stepped inside the bathroom, she could hear soft whimpering sounds coming from one of the stalls furthest to the left.

Following the noise, Gloria's heart broke at the sound. She hated to see children in pain.

"Kassie?" Gloria asked tentatively. "Are you in there, sweetheart?"

Getting no response, Gloria tried again.

"Sweetheart, Mommy isn't mad at you. I wanna help you. Can you come out so we can talk about what got you so upset?"

Gloria's heart leapt when she heard the reply. It was very soft and small, but she definitely heard it.

"No."

"Okay." Gloria said, trying to think on her feet. "Well if you don't want to come out, can I come in?"

There was no response, so Gloria decided to take the plunge.

Opening the stall door, Gloria closed it behind her before approaching her sobbing daughter.

Looking to where she heard the soft sobs coming from, Gloria gasped at what she found.

Kassie was huddled against the far right wall, her face stained with tears as more came.

But it wasn't the sight of her emotional state that surprised Gloria. It was her physical state.

For one thing, Kassie was a lot smaller in height than she had been that morning.

For another, her clothes had changed as well.

Where she had been wearing a blue shirt with a butterfly on it and a pair of blue jeans, she was now wearing a blue jumpsuit with a pink shirt underneath. She also had a pair of smaller glasses on her face as well.

After the shock wore off, Gloria concentrated on helping her daughter. She could tell she was frightened out of her mind and not just from the change in her Human form.

If Gloria could guess, the Kassie in front of her was no more than three-years-old. This meant her mind set had to match her age.

And if what Gloria was thinking was true, she was going to have a time of it getting Kassie to trust her.

The little girl in front of her was shaking from head to foot.

Gloria's heart broke at the sight. She wanted so badly to reach her arms out and pull Kassie into them, reassuring her everything was going to be okay. However, she knew with Kassie's history and the abuse she suffered, that wasn't a good way to go about gaining her trust.

Instead, Gloria tried to gain her attention verbally. She also knelt down in front of her so she wouldn't look threatening.

"Kassie?" She said softly. "It's okay, sweetheart. You're not a lone anymore. Gloria's here now."

She refrained from referring to herself as Mommy, just in case Kassie didn't' remember her. She didn't want to scare her any more than she already was at the present moment.

The little girl gazed up at the sound of her name and tried to shrink away from the person kneeling before her.

"Kassie, it's okay." Gloria assured her. "You don't have to be afraid of me. I won't hurt you. I would NEVER hurt you. I…I love you, baby. So does Aunt Monica and Grandma Tess. We would never hurt you."

"Always get hurt." Kassie said softly.

"I know, sweetheart." Gloria said as she tried to fight back tears. "But I promise you, I would never hurt you."

As Kassie made eye contact with Gloria, something in the far corner of her mind registered in her brain. She also felt something in her heart. Something that told her Gloria was telling the truth.

As she inched closer to her, Gloria's heart soared. Even so, she tried her best to remain calm for Kassie's sake. She didn't want to scare her again.

"Is it okay if I pick you up?" Gloria asked.

Kassie nodded slowly.

Gloria reached out and pulled the little girl into her arms. She slowly stood up with a much smaller Kassie in her embrace.

The minute she felt Gloria hug her close, Kassie buried her face in Gloria's shoulder as more sobs racked her small form.

"Shh, shh, it's okay, Kass. It's all right. I have you now. Gloria has you now. You're safe with me, sweetheart. It's okay…" She swayed back and forth for a little bit, trying to calm the little girl down.

Once Kassie's tears had subsided a little, Gloria helped her wash her face and the two sat on a bench in the teacher's stall, Kassie once again on Gloria's lap.

"Kass, what happened, sweetie?" Gloria asked tentatively.

Kassie shook her head.

"I dunno. I went potty and then I fell and I woked up like this. Ple-please don't be mad!"

"Shh, shh, Kass, I'm not mad at you. I promise." Gloria assured her daughter. "Is that all you remember, honey?"

Kassie nodded.

"Okay. Do you know how old you are?" She asked.

Kassie held up three fingers on her left hand.

Gloria nodded.

"I thought so. All right. What do you say we go meet Aunt Monica and Grandma Tess. Maybe they know what's going on."

Kassie buried her face in Gloria's shoulder and started to shake once again as they left the bathroom.

Gloria tried to soothe her during the ten minute walk out to the van.

The minute they got near enough, Kassie went tense in Gloria's arms.

Gloria rubbed her back in an attempt to soothe her tension and fear.

She started humming, which helped the little girl calm down considerably.

Once the second youngest angel was sure her daughter was all right for the time being, she approached the van. She beckoned for Monica and Tess to get out, which they did.

Tess was the first one to speak.

"So I see you found Kassie." She said. She frowned at the way the little girl was shaking in Gloria's arms.

Gloria nodded.

"Tess, what's going on?" She asked in an urgent whisper. "I found her in the bathroom and she was…" Gloria's voice trailed off as she tried to think of the best way to explain to her two angelic co-workers what had happened.

Once she was done explaining, Tess took over once again. The four were back on the beach by this point.

Gloria still had Kassie in her lap and she was sitting in the sand.

Monica was sitting beside her and Tess was standing in front of them.

She gave Kassie a friendly smile, but the little girl merely buried her face deeper in Gloria's hold.

Gloria tried to soothe her through touch as she listened to her superior's explanation.

"Well, the Father heard what you said," Tess explained. "And he wants a chance to show you what it would have been like."

"What do you mean?" Gloria asked.

Tess glanced down at Kassie as though it were obvious.

Gloria gasped as realization hit her.

"But why?" She asked.

"Because the Father knows you can do this." Monica said gently. "He knows you love Kassie so much, you would do anythin' for her. He wants you to get this experience so you'll understand."

Gloria nodded even though she was only starting to understand what was going on.

"You won't be alone." Tess assured her. "Monica and I will help you."

"I know." Gloria said gratefully. "But something tells me Kassie isn't going to be too thrilled at letting you help her."

"All in the Father's time." Tess said as she led the way back to the van. "All in the Father's time."

Gloria sighed as she followed Tess and Monica back to the van. She knew Tess was right, but she still didn't know how she was going to pass this assignment.

But as she gazed down at Kassie who had started to shake again, Gloria realized that passing the assignment wasn't the most important thing.

The most important thing or person in all of this was the little girl who was now crying in her arms from fear of separation. And if there was one thing Gloria was sure of, it was that she was going to help Kassie through this-no matter what it took…


	3. Chapter 3

DISC: If you recognize them, I don't own them. Martha Williamson does. I only own Kassie and anyone else you don't recognize.

God loves you

A/N: This story is just on a roll! Here's the next chapter! I hope everyone likes it!

"Second Chances-The Toddler Years"

Chapter 3

It took Gloria about twenty-minutes to convince Kassie that it was okay to sit in her car seat.

After that was taken care of, Gloria asked Kassie if she wanted her to sit in back with her.

Kassie nodded and Gloria obliged her little girl without a second thought.

Throughout the car ride to the apartment they would be sharing, Gloria was trying to process what had just happened. She couldn't believe that Kassie had been turned back into her three-year-old self and she was her assignment.

As they drove on, Gloria let her thoughts wander. She wasn't sure she would be able to do this, but she had a feeling God wouldn't have given her the assignment if He thought she couldn't handle it.

"What are you thinking, little angel?" Tess asked, pulling into the driveway of the house the Father had provided to them.

Gloria sighed as she tried to put her thoughts into words.

"Why would the Father do this to Kassie?" She asked, but Tess knew her too well.

"Don't you mean why did the Father do this to you?" Tess said, knowingly.

Gloria shook her head.

"No. I meant what I said. Why did God do this to Kassie? I mean she already had a tough enough time the first time around. Why make her go through it again?"

Monica sighed.

"Gloria, that's not why He did this to her. He loves Kassie, just as He loves you. He wouldn't put her in harms way or make her suffer."

"Then why?" Gloria asked, close to tears.

"He did this so Kassie would learn to trust you and so she can heal from her past." Monica explained.

Gloria nodded. It made sense to her now.

"And the Father knows that Kassie trusts you above anyone else." Tess added. "If anyone can help her heal from the pain she was caused, it's you, little angel."

Gloria nodded. She knew Tess was right.

Just then, Tess turned the car around and backed out of the driveway.

She decided to take her angel babies out for dinner. They hadn't been out in a while and Tess wanted to treat them to something nice.

"Who wants pizza?" She asked, smiling at the little girl in the back seat.

Kassie managed a small smile for Tess, but she didn't respond verbally.

Gloria grinned at her.

"Ooh, pizza." She told the little girl. "Doesn't that sound yummy, Kass?"

Kassie just shrugged.

Monica gave Gloria an encouraging look as they pulled up to the pizza ria.

"Just give Kassie time." She said. "You'll gain her trust."

"I hope you're right." Gloria said as she started to unbuckle Kassie from her car seat.

Once Gloria had gotten Kassie out, she tried to put her down, but Kassie wouldn't have any of it. She buried her face in Gloria's shoulder while clinging onto her shirt with one hand.

Gloria kissed the top of Kassie's head and told her she loved her as she followed Monica and Tess into the restaurant.

Once inside, the angels were seated fairly quickly.

Gloria asked for a booster seat for Kassie and the waitress brought one as soon as they were seated.

The waitress also brought Kassie some crayons and a coloring book.

While Monica and Tess looked over the menu, Gloria tried to get Kassie interested in the coloring book.

She opened it to a random page and smiled at the picture. It was a cat, which was one of Kassie's favorite animals.

"Look, Kass! It's a cat. Do you wanna color her in? What color should we make her?"

Kassie shrugged.

"Do you wanna color her purple?" Gloria tried.

Kassie nodded. She smiled at Gloria, which was a good sign.

"All right. Let's see…" Gloria found the purple crayon and extended it to Kassie. "Here you go. You can color her in all by yourself. Go on." She encouraged.

It took Kassie a few minutes, but she finally started to show interest in coloring.

Gloria sighed with relief. She was glad Kassie was perking up a little.

While Kassie colored, Gloria gazed at the menu to see what she wanted. She figured Kassie could just share whatever she ordered.

As the youngest angel put down her menu, Kassie tapped her shoulder ever so lightly.

"Yes?" Gloria said with a loving smile. "May I help you, Miss Kassie?"

Kassie pointed to her picture.

"Done." She said.

Gloria glanced down at it and grinned.

"It's beautiful." She said sincerely. "Do you wanna color some more?"

Kassie shook her head.

"Okay. That's all right. Why don't we play a game then." Gloria suggested.

Kassie looked mildly interested, so Gloria tried to think of one that would be easy for a three-year-old to play.

But before Gloria could think of one, the waitress returned to take their orders.

Gloria ordered for Kassie and herself while Tess and Monica ordered their own meals.

After the waitress was gone, Gloria got up, all intentions of washing her hands.

The minute Gloria stood from her chair, Kassie gazed over at her as her lower lip started to quiver.

She uttered one word before the tears started again.

"Mama!"

Gloria's heart leapt when she heard Kassie call her that. While it was true that Kassie had referred to her as 'Mommy and more recently 'Mom, she was glad that Kassie had called her 'Mama on her own.

She only prayed Kassie was remembering her, Gloria and not Dana.

Whatever the case was, Gloria was determined to show her that she wasn't like her other mother; and she didn't have to be afraid of her.

"Kass, it's okay. I'll be right back." Gloria assured her daughter. "I promise."

"Mama, no!" Kassie cried.

This was the most vocal she had been since Gloria found her in the bathroom that afternoon.

Gloria turned to Monica and Tess for help.

"Follow your heart, little angel." Tess advised.

Gloria turned to Monica, who nodded in agreement.

Gloria took a deep breath and approached Kassie's temporary booster seat.

She extracted her from it without a problem and hugged her close.

"Shh, shh, it's okay." She assured her. "Mommy has you now. You're okay. Come on. Let's get our hands washed and then we can eat some yummy pizza."

Kassie settled down the moment she was back in Gloria's arms.

It didn't last long though.

As they rounded the corner to the bathroom, Kassie tensed in Gloria's arms and started to shake again.

Gloria thought she knew why.

Making a split second decision, she turned around and took the distraught little girl outside for a few minutes.

She sat down on a bench with Kassie in her arms and just rocked her for a little bit.

Once she was calm enough, Gloria explained very gently that they needed to wash their hands if they were going to eat pizza.

Kassie agreed softly and Gloria took that as her cue that it was okay to leave their temporary sanctuary.

Getting back inside, Gloria washed her hands quickly and helped Kassie wash hers.

"See? There you go." Gloria said, smiling down at her daughter. "All clean now." She picked her back up and carried her out of the bathroom.

Returning to the table, Gloria set Kassie in her booster seat again before sitting down beside her.

"Is everything okay, little angel?" Tess asked when she saw the tear stains on Kassie's cheeks.

Gloria nodded.

"Yup. We're good. Right, sweetheart?"

Kassie nodded before picking up a red crayon and starting to color a picture of a parrot.

Just then, the waitress brought their food out. She brought an extra plate for Kassie so that Gloria could split the food with her.

"Thank you." Gloria said, smiling at the waitress.

"You're welcome." She replied before leaving.

As Gloria was dividing the food up between herself and Kassie, she saw it happen out of the corner of her eye.

Kassie reached her hand out to get the box of crayons that were just to the right of her and accidentally knocked her juice over.

To Gloria's surprise, Kassie's lower lip started to quiver, but she didn't cry right away.

Gloria wasn't sure why this was, until something clicked in her brain.

"Kassie, it's okay." Gloria said as she saw the little girl struggling with her emotions. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not mad at you for spilling the juice and I won't be mad at you if you start crying. It's okay to cry and it's okay to be afraid."

Kassie shook her head.

"Yes." Gloria insisted softly. "It's okay. It was an accident. I know it wasn't your fault."

Kassie nodded, but she was still struggling to understand and it broke Gloria's heart.

"Little one," Monica said softly, referring to Gloria. "Let me clean that up and you focus on Kassie."

Gloria took her supervisor up on her offer and turned her attention back to her daughter.

Taking things nice and slow, Gloria lifted Kassie out of her booster seat and settled her in her lap. She kissed the top of her head and smoothed a few strands of hair out of her face.

"There. Is that better?" She asked fondly.

Kassie didn't say anything. She snuggled into Gloria for a cuddle, making the young angel's heart melt.

"I love you, Kass." Gloria whispered so only her daughter could hear her. "I want you to know that."

Gloria turned to Tess.

"I think we better get the food to go." Gloria suggested. "Kassie isn't' doing so well here."

Tess nodded in agreement and asked a passing waiter to help them out. He obliged and had their food ready for them in ten minutes.

It took Kassie fifteen minutes, but she was finally able to calm down.

During the drive home, Gloria sat in the back with Kassie to keep her calm. Kassie was still a little shaken up. She had refused to sit in her car seat at first. She wanted to stay in Gloria's lap.

Gloria managed to convince her daughter it was okay and the little girl finally allowed her mother to settle her in it for the drive home.

When they got back to the house, Tess put the food away while Gloria sat down in the living room with Kassie. She cuddled the little girl close and gave her a kiss. She then started combing her fingers through Kassie's hair, a motion that often helped her calm down whenever her daughter was upset. It was no exception this time either.

As Gloria continued to comb her fingers through Kassie's blond hair, the little girl's breathing went back to normal and her sobs lessened a bit.

"How is she?" Monica asked as she entered the living room.

She was carrying three cups of hot chocolate, one of them being a sippy cup.

The Irish angel handed the sippy cup to Kassie, who took it with both hands before shoving the tip into her mouth.

"What do you say to Aunt Monica?" Gloria prompted, gently removing the tip from Kassie's lips.

"Thank you." Kassie said, before sticking the tip back into her mouth and drinking up.

"Aw, you're welcome, sweetheart." Monica said, sincerely.

After a few minutes, Gloria turned on the TV, trying to find something for a child to watch. She settled on Gullah Gullah Island. She hoped it would cheer Kassie up.

The little girl seemed interested in the music, but she mostly snuggled into Gloria's hold and tried to sleep. It had been a long day for her and she was worn out.

"I think someone's ready for bed." Gloria observed softly. She kissed Kassie's cheek and put her hand through her hair.

Monica nodded in agreement as she sipped her own hot chocolate.

It had certainly been a long day for everyone. But if there was one thing the Irish angel was sure of, it was that God would see them through this, just like He had done before. All they had to do was have faith and let God handle the rest. As long as they did that, everything would work out according to His plan…


	4. Chapter 4

DISC: If you recognize them, I don't own them. Martha Williamson does. I only own Kassie and anyone else you don't recognize.

God loves you

A/N: I'm sorry for the wait with this chapter. I was away for a few days, but now I'm back! I hope everyone enjoys this!

"Second Chances-The Toddler Years"

Chapter 4

After the hot chocolate was drunken, Gloria tucked Kassie into bed. She gave her a kiss and stayed with her until she fell asleep. She read her a story and prayed with her. After Gloria was sure Kassie was out, she left the room. She turned on a nightlight and left Kassie's bedroom door open a crack, just in case Kassie needed her.

When Gloria reached the bottom stair, she went into the living room and found Tess waiting for her. She sat down across from her supervisor and gave Tess a worried look.

"What was that all about?" Gloria asked. "It wasn't just because I left for a few minutes. It couldn't have been. That wouldn't have made Kassie shake that badly."

Tess shrugged.

"Maybe it was something else." She suggested, trying to find an answer.

"Like what?" Gloria asked. "You don't think she sensed…you don't think she sensed evil, do you?"

"It's possible." Tess replied. She sat back in her chair and sighed.

Gloria frowned. She hadn't sensed anything at all, but she knew Kassie wouldn't' lie. Gloria also trusted Tess's judgment when it came to things like this.

"We'll deal with it in the morning." Tess said, getting up and yawning. "Right now, we both need some sleep." With that, Tess led the way up the stairs.

Gloria followed her, checking on Kassie one last time. She just prayed her little angel would be okay.

The silence of the night was broken by a scream somewhere around two-thirty in the morning.

Gloria jumped out of bed and went straight for Kassie's room. She found Kassie wide awake, fear in her blue eyes. But she wasn't crying. Gloria could see her lower lip trembling, but no tears fell from her eyes.

It was just like what had happened in the diner after Kassie had spilled her juice. It was like she was afraid to cry.

This broke Gloria's heart and she promised herself she would help Kassie overcome her past before this assignment was over.

As Gloria got closer, she could see that Kassie was shaking.

"Kassie? It's okay, it's okay. Gloria's here now. I'm right here. What happened, huh? Did something scare you?"

She made sure to keep eye contact with her daughter before making a move towards her. She didn't want to scare her any further.

Kassie looked up and nodded fearfully.

"Do you want some company?" Gloria asked. She had sat down across from the three-year-old at this point.

Kassie looked confused for a minute. Why wasn't Gloria hitting her? She had always been hit before whenever she had woken anyone up at her old house.

"Stay?" Kassie asked softly.

Gloria nodded.

"If you want me to." She said.

"Please?" Kassie asked softly.

"Of course I will." Gloria said. "Would you like me to hold you?"

Kassie hesitated slightly and Gloria caught it instantly.

"I won't hurt you, Kass. I promise." She said earnestly.

Kassie thought about it for a few minutes before slowly nodding her head.

Gloria reached out slowly and tentively and pulled Kassie into her arms.

The minute she wrapped her arms around her, she felt Kassie go tense.

"Kassie, it's okay." Gloria assured her. "It's okay. You're safe with me. I won't hurt you. It's okay. Thatta girl. You're all right."

It took Kassie a few minutes, but she started to calm down.

As she felt Gloria land a kiss to her head and comb her fingers through her hair, she found herself starting to cry.

Gloria noticed this and encouraged her to cry it out. She comforted her through touch, hoping it was enough for now.

After a few minutes had passed, Gloria started to sing softly. It was something that always calmed her before. It was no exception this time either.

Just then, Monica poked her head in the room. She gave Gloria a worried look when she saw Kassie crying and came closer to the bed.

"What happened, little one? Is Kassie okay?" Monica asked, worry in her Irish lilt.

"Kassie had a bad dream I think." Gloria said, holding the shaking toddler close. "She's gonna be okay though. Right, sweetheart?"

Kassie just buried her face in Gloria's shoulder as a sob escaped her lips.

"I'll be right back." Monica said, knowing what would get Kassie to sleep. She returned a few moments later with a sippy cup full of warm milk. She handed it to Gloria, who helped Kassie to sip at it.

Monica mouthed the word Tylenol to Gloria and Gloria understood. It wouldn't hurt Kassie and it would help her sleep.

Sure enough, after Kassie had finished her milk, she soon fell asleep in Gloria's arms.

"I love you, Kass." Gloria whispered as she continued to stroke Kassie's hair. "Sweet dreams, sweetheart."

Monica smiled at the interaction.

"She's so precious and innocent." She commented, sitting down next to Gloria.

Gloria nodded in agreement.

"I just don't understand how someone could hurt her." Gloria said as she fought back tears.

"Me nether." She said. "But the important thing is, Kassie is safe now. She doesn't have to worry about being hurt anymore."

Gloria nodded, but she was still frustrated by the whole situation.

"She shouldn't have had to worry about it in the first place!" She suddenly cried.

Kassie stirred in her arms and Gloria quieted down.

"Shh, shh, it's okay, Kass. It's all right. Mommy didn't mean to yell. You're okay, sweetheart. Shh, go back to sleep…" She started stroking Kassie's hair again and she fell back to sleep shortly afterwards.

"Maybe we should talk somewhere else." Monica suggested.

Gloria nodded. She tucked Kassie in and kissed her before following her supervisor out of the room.

Getting to Monica's room, the Irish angel directed Gloria to sit down and the younger angel did so.

Monica sat down beside her and put an arm around her case worker, hugging her close.

Before Gloria knew it, she was crying into Monica's shoulder, much like Kassie had done with her a few minutes before.

The only difference was, these tears weren't ones of fear, but frustration and sadness.

Monica comforted Gloria for the next half an hour until her tears subsided.

Once Gloria was calm again, they talked for a little while before Gloria fell asleep for the night. She ended up falling asleep in Monica's arms-the safest place she knew.

The Irish angel didn't mind of course. She knew Gloria needed to be close to her right now and she would do anything to help her feel better.

But as Monica held her case worker close, she had a feeling the next few days were going to be full of challenges and surprises for all of them. But as long as they had faith and let God handle the rest, they would be fine.

With that final comforting truthful thought in her head, the Irish angel drifted off to sleep as well. She just prayed Kassie was having sweet dreams too…


	5. Chapter 5

DISC: If you recognize them, I don't own them. Martha Williamson does. I only own Kassie and anyone else you don't recognize.

God loves you

A/N: I hope everyone likes this next chapter! The next one will be coming soon!

"Second Chances-The Toddler Years"

Chapter 5

The next morning, Gloria awoke in Monica's arms. She disentangled herself from her supervisor's embrace and went to wake Kassie up.

She entered her room to find her daughter wide awake. She was laying in bed, staring out of the window.

Gloria grinned as she approached the bed.

"Hey, Kass. Good morning, sweetheart."

Kassie looked up at the sound of Gloria's voice and gave her mother a small smile.

Sitting on the bed, Gloria held her arms out.

"Can I have a hug?"

Kassie thought about it for a minute before agreeing. She moved closer to Gloria and allowed her to pull her close.

Planting a kiss on the little girl's head, Gloria hugged her close and put a hand through her hair.

Just then, Tess poked her head in the room. She smiled at the sight she found.

"Maybe I should take a picture." She suggested, smirking at Gloria.

Gloria grinned.

"That's not a bad idea." She said, holding Kassie close. "Maybe we can make a photo album, so we'll always remember this experience. That way we can share the stories with Kassie when she's her normal self again."

Tess nodded.

"Great idea, little angel." Tess replied. She left and returned moments later with her camera. She snapped a few pictures of Gloria holding Kassie just as they heard the little girl's stomach growl.

Gloria gasped.

"Huh? Was that your tummy?" She asked, giggling softly as Kassie smiled at her. "Are you hungry, Kass?"

Kassie nodded, but she didn't' relinquish her hold on Gloria.

"Well, why don't we got downstairs and see what Aunt Monica made for breakfast." She suggested.

Kassie nodded and allowed Gloria to help her get ready before carrying her downstairs.

When they got downstairs, Gloria set Kassie in a booster seat and prepared to make them breakfast. She decided to make strawberry pancakes, which were one of Kassie's favorite foods.

As Gloria was putting the pancakes on the stove, she heard a tiny scream, followed by a child's whimper.

"Kassie? are you okay?" Gloria asked. She whirled around to see what had scared her daughter and found Andrew standing in the doorway. She guessed he had showed up the normal way and figured it must have startled her daughter.

She approached Kassie's booster seat and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Kass, it's all right. Andrew won't hurt you. He just came to eat breakfast with us. He loves pancakes too."

Kassie nodded. But she still looked a little unsure.

Andrew nodded. He knelt down to Kassie's level and gave her a friendly smile. He had been told of everything that had taken place within the last twenty-four hours, so he was aware of Kassie's temporary Human form.

"Your Mommy's right." Andrew said, gazing at Kassie with his kind green eyes. "I won't hurt you. And Gloria's cooking is yummy!"

Kassie gave Andrew a small smile as she cuddled into Gloria.

"All right. Now that that little catastrophe is over with, let's eat!" Tess declared, getting a laugh out of Gloria.

As the five angels sat down to breakfast, Andrew was about to dig in, but was stopped by a tiny hand on his arm. He looked up to see Kassie shyly trying to stop him.

Andrew decided to try and make small talk with her. He knew Kassie was having trouble trusting him due to her past.

"Yes, what can I do for you?" He asked, a sincere smile on his face.

Kassie gazed at him uncertainly before replying.

"You're supposed to wait till we pray first." She said, her tone serious. "We need to thank God before we eat."

Andrew nodded.

"You're absolutely right. I'm sorry."

"It's okay." She turned her attention away from Andrew for the moment and focused it on Gloria, who was getting her plate ready. "Mama, may I have juice, please?"

"Aw, you certainly may. What kind would you like? Gloria smiled at the little girl who she loved more than anything.

"Apple, please?" Kassie asked, giving Gloria one of her cute smiles.

"You got it, Kass." Gloria replied, going for the fridge after she had put the plate in front of Kassie.

"You should learn some manners from Kassie, angel boy." Tess commented, swatting Andrew's hand away from the fruit bowl.

Andrew tried to look innocent, but he failed miserably.

"Aw, Tess, I'm starved."

"You're as bad as Monica when it comes to sweets and coffee." Tess commented, getting a giggle out of Kassie.

Halfway through breakfast, Kassie gazed over at Gloria.

Gloria caught her daughter staring at her and smiled in return.

"What is it, sweetie?" She asked. "You can ask me anything. I promise I won't get mad."

Kassie nodded.

"Mama, can we go to the park? Please?"

Gloria gazed over at Tess for the okay.

"I don't see why not, little angel. Just be back before six." Tess instructed.

Gloria nodded. She smiled over at Kassie and nodded.

"All right, sweetheart. We can go to the park."

Kassie grinned, but she didn't cheer out loud like most three-year-old's would have.

After Kassie finished eating, Gloria still had a little ways to go.

She decided to give Kassie and Tess some bonding time. She just prayed she wasn't making a mistake.

"Kassie, why don't you let Grandma Tess help you get ready and then I'll be done." Gloria suggested, choosing not to scold Kassie for her actions this time.

Tess nodded in agreement. She took Kassie's hand and led her upstairs.

"Come on, baby. Let's go find you something pretty to wear." With that, Tess and Kassie left the room.

"She's cute." Andrew commented after Tess and Kassie had left.

"Andrew!" Gloria admonished, thinking Andrew meant Tess. "Tess is our supervisor. And besides that, she's too old for you."

Andrew shook his head, realizing what Gloria thought he had meant.

"I wasn't talking about Tess. I was talking about Kassie. Kassie's an adorable three-year-old."

Gloria nodded and grinned.

"You're right about that. She is. She hasn't given me much trouble since the Father gave me this assignment. Maybe this won't be so bad."

Andrew shrugged.

"I don't know, Gloria. Don't get your hopes up. Kassie is pretty well behaved, but she is also three-years-old and very curious." He pointed out.

"I know. But given her past, I don't think she'll be testing the waters any time soon. Besides, Kassie's been good so far. I don't think she'll give me any…" Gloria's voice trailed off as she heard a cry come from the second floor. "Hold that thought." With that, Gloria tore up the stairs, praying to the Father that Kassie was in one piece when she found her…


	6. Chapter 6

DISC: If you recognize them, I don't own them. Martha Williamson does. I only own Kassie and anyone else you don't recognize.

God loves you

A/N: I told you the next chapter would be coming soon. I hope everyone likes it!

"Second Chances-The Toddler Years"

Chapter 6

Gloria burst into Kassie's room to find Kassie in the corner sobbing and Tess picking up a broken piece of glass.

"Tess, what happened?" Gloria asked, glancing from Kassie to the glass and back again.

"Well I was trying to pick out an outfit for her and the closet mirror fell off the door. The noise must have frightened her."

"Okay. So long as nobody's hurt." Gloria said. She went over to Kassie and scooped her up. "Kassie, shh, it's okay, sweetheart. It's all right. Gloria's here now. It's all right. What happened? Did the sound of the mirror falling scare my baby girl?"

Kassie nodded and buried her face in Gloria's shoulder. She clung to Gloria's shirt and continued to cry.

"Shh, shh, it's okay, Kassie. It's all right. Come on, let's get you ready and then we'll go to the park." With that, Gloria picked out a simple overall outfit for Kassie and helped her get dressed.

After Gloria put Kassie's hair into two pigtails, the two angels were off.

Gloria took her cell phone at Tess's insistence so that Tess would have a way of contacting her if something happened and vice versa.

Upon arriving at the park, Kassie's blue eyes lit up at the sight of the swings and slide. She begged Gloria to push her on the swings and Gloria obliged. She enjoyed seeing her daughter have fun and she also enjoyed sharing in the fun as well.

After an hour of swinging and sliding, Gloria suggested they go to the petting zoo.

Kassie agreed after a few minutes. She enjoyed seeing the animals and petting some of them. She especially liked petting the horses and watching the prairie dogs running around. She thought they were the cutest things on four legs!

As they were walking back to the house, Gloria spotted a Barnes and Noble in the distance. She had been craving a hot chocolate all day.

After the energy she had exerted while playing with Kassie in the park, she needed one more than ever.

"Kassie, would you like a milk shake?" Gloria asked, knowing that was the only way she would get Kassie to sit down long enough for her to be able to enjoy her treat.

Kassie looked confused.

"I can have a milk shake now?" She asked.

Gloria nodded.

"Yup." She replied. "But only once in a while. You can't have one every day."

Kassie nodded.

"Okay." She said. She smiled as they walked towards the bookstore.

Once inside, Gloria ordered their drinks and got a book for Kassie to look through while they waited.

There was a play area, but Gloria had a feeling Kassie wouldn't go and play due to her shyness.

As Gloria read her Ariel's Birthday Surprise, Kassie listened intently and smiled as she gazed at the pictures in the book.

Just then, Gloria heard the waiter call her name.

She led Kassie up to the counter where they collected their drinks and went back to their table.

As they sipped at their beverages, Kassie's blue eyes wandered over to the play area every so often.

"Kassie?" Gloria said, trying to gain her attention. "Do you wanna play for a while?"

Kassie frowned.

"You won't leave me?" She asked.

Gloria's heart about broke.

"No. Of course not." She said truthfully. "Kassie, I love you. I would never do something like that. I'll even go over with you if you like."

Kassie nodded.

"Please?"

Once they were done their drinks, Gloria took Kassie's hand and led her over to the play area.

Kassie gazed around at the ball pit and other play equipment the store offered.

While Kassie checked out the play area, Gloria pulled a chair over so she could keep an eye on her.

Once the little girl was sure her mother wasn't going to leave her, she went over to the ball pit and slid down the slide, landing in a heap of multi colored plastic balls.

Far from being upset, Kassie let out a giggle, which was music to Gloria's ears.

She was having so much fun, she didn't notice when someone else joined her. Her only indication that someone else was there was when she bumped into them.

"I'm sorry." Kassie said, holding her hand out to help the other little girl up.

The other little girl nodded. She gave Kassie a smile to show her she wasn't hurt. The girl had dark blond hair and green eyes that shone with friendliness, but Kassie thought she saw a little sadness in them as well.

The little girl's hair was in two pigtails, just like Kassie's. The only difference was, Kassie's ponytail holders were blue like her shirt while the other little girl's were pink to match her shirt.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I'm Kathy, what's your name?"

"Kassie." Kassie replied. "I'm an angel."

Kathy smiled.

"My Mommy says I'm an angel too." She told Kassie. "Want to be my friend?"

Kassie grinned.

"Okay!"

"Is that your Mommy?" Kathy asked, pointing to Gloria, who was reading a book while keeping an eye on Kassie.

Kassie nodded.

"Yup." Kassie replied.

"That's my Mommy over there." Kathy said, pointing to a woman with glasses and chestnut brown hair.

"Wanna see who can go down the slide first?" Kassie asked.

"Okay!" Kathy agreed. She and Kassie climbed out of the ball pit and went around to the slide.

When Kassie saw that Kathy was having trouble getting out, due to the ledge being a little high, she helped her by showing her another way out.

"Thank you," Kathy said, smiling from ear to ear at Kassie.

"You're welcome." Kassie replied. "How old are you?"

"Five." Kathy answered, while holding up five fingers. "How old are you?"

"Three." Kassie answered as she waited for her new friend to go down the slide.

"Well it seems our little Kassie's made a new friend." A familiar voice said from just beside Gloria on her left.

Gloria jumped in response to Tess's appearance.

"Tess, you startled me."

Tess frowned.

"I didn't mean to. I just came to check on you. It seems you're doing a good job with Kassie."

Gloria nodded.

"Thanks."

Tess smiled.

"I'll see you two back at home." With that, she disappeared just as a woman came over to where Gloria was sitting.

But rather than sit down, she went towards the ball pit and smiled in relief when she found Kathy unharmed.

Once she was sure her daughter was okay, she sat down across from Gloria.

Gloria glanced up and gave the woman a friendly smile.

"Hi! I'm Gloria. My daughter, Kassie is playing over there." She pointed to where Kassie and Kathy were now coloring at a table nearby. "It seems Kassie and Kathy have become friends."

The woman smiled and nodded. She blushed just then.

"I'm sorry. I'm Melissa. I was just so worried about Kathy, I didn't think to introduce myself."

Gloria nodded in understanding.

"Don't worry about it." She said. "It's okay. So what brings you to the bookstore on such a nice day?" Gloria asked, hoping Melissa would talk to her.

"I usually don't get time off to come in here and treat myself. But I had a half a day of work today and Kathy had off school, so I decided to treat us both. We don't get out much."

Gloria nodded. She knew there was more behind the meaning of Melissa's words, but she didn't want to push her new friend to talk just yet. She also had a feeling Melissa's story was one that was better told out of the earshot of children.

"I know how it is." Gloria said, trying to gain her trust. "This one keeps me on my toes too. I love her so much, I wouldn't have Kassie any other way. She's a real angel most of the time."

Melissa smiled.

"That's how Kathy is too."

Gloria then got an idea.

"Melissa, would you like to come over to my house? We could talk and Kathy and Kassie could play for a while."

Melissa frowned a little bit. She glanced down at her watch and then glanced up at Gloria. She had a little time before she had to be back home.

"That sounds great. Thanks. We have to be home at six-thirty, but we can stay for an hour or so."

"Wonderful!" Gloria said, smiling from ear to ear.

Melissa turned her attention to her daughter, who was showing Kassie her teddy bear.

"Kathy, sweetheart," Melissa said, getting her daughter's attention, "how would you like to go over to Gloria's house and play with Kassie?"

Kathy's green eyes lit up.

"Can we really Mommy, please?" Kathy asked, her green eyes full of hope.

Melissa nodded, happy to see her little girl smile for once.

"We sure can. Come on." With that, Melissa grabbed her coat and followed Gloria out of the coffee shop.

When they got back to the house, Gloria set the girls up with some art supplies and a "Gullah Gullah Island" movie while she and Melissa sat in the kitchen. They had another cup of coffee and started to chat.

Melissa didn't know why, but she found herself telling Gloria practically her whole life story. She didn't understand why she felt so comfortable around Gloria, but she did.

"So how long have you lived here?" Gloria asked, wanting to get to know Melissa a little bit better.

"A little over a year." Melissa replied. "My husband, Eric, was transferred here after his construction company offered him a job here."

Gloria nodded. She noticed that Melissa kept glancing down at her watch and occasionally at her cell phone throughout their conversation. Gloria wondered why this was, but she dare not ask just yet. She wanted to gain Melissa's trust before she asked anything further.

But little did Gloria know she was going to get her answer sooner than she thought.

Melissa and Kathy stayed for another hour, Melissa and Gloria chatting while the girls played contentedly together.

Just then, Kassie came into the room and straight over to her mother. Kathy followed close behind.

"Mama, can Kathy sleepover?" Kassie asked, her voice full of hope. "Please?"

Kathy had an equal look on her face as she looked at her mother.

"Please, Mommy, please?"

Melissa had to fight back tears. She wanted to say yes so badly, but she knew she couldn't. At least not yet. She didn't want to give Eric a reason to be mad.

But as Melissa thought about it, she knew deep down in her heart that Kathy hadn't had much fun over the past few months and Kathy really seemed to like Kassie. Melissa also felt safe leaving Kathy in Gloria's care. It would be nice to go home from work for one weekend and know that Kathy was perfectly

safe. Little did Melissa know just how safe Kathy would be.

"Please Mommy?" Kathy asked, her green eyes gazing into Melissa's brown ones with nothing but hope in their emerald depths.

Melissa was about to say yes, when her phone rang. She picked it up and braced herself for trouble.

"Hello?" Melissa asked, her voice as strong as she could muster.

"Melissa, where the hell are you!" An angry voice shouted from the other end of the phone. "I expected you to be home an hour ago! I'm hungry!"

"I'm at a friend's house." Melissa said, her voice as calm as it was going to get for the moment.

"What friend?" Eric asked, his voice incredulous. "You don't have any friends."

Melissa, feeling a sense of empowerment from somewhere deep within, took the plunge.

"Yes I do. Her name is Gloria."

"I don't care what her name is! I want you and that brat back in this house in the next hour. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, Eric, I understand. I'll be there." With that, Melissa hung up the phone. She took a few deep breaths, trying to compose herself in front of Gloria. But Gloria had put two and two together already. Her suspicions were now confirmed and she felt nothing but compassion, fear and sympathy for her new friend.

"I have to go." Melissa said, getting up and heading for the living room. She knelt down to Kathy's level and gave her a kiss and hug. She then told her it was time to leave.

Kathy obeyed immediately, but Kassie wasn't so willing to let her friend go.

"Can't Kathy stay and play, please?"

"Kathy will be back." Melissa promised Kassie. "I promise."

Kassie's lower lip started to quiver as she hugged her friend good bye.

"Wait, Melissa," Gloria said, trying to stall. "Why don't you and Kathy come over for dinner on Friday? And Kathy can sleepover for the weekend."

"We'll see." Melissa said, hoping she would be able to do it. She really was beginning to like Gloria and it looked like Kathy and Kassie were forming a friendship as well.

"Great!" Gloria said, her tone enthusiastic. "Why don't you call me on Thursday night and we'll make plans." She suggested.

Melissa nodded.

"Okay. That sounds like a good idea. Come on, sweetheart." She said, turning her attention to Kathy. "We have to go." With that, Melissa and Kathy were gone.

As Gloria watched them leave for their house, she sent a silent prayer up to God, asking Him to keep her new friend safe.

"Please, Father, please, keep Melissa and her daughter safe. Please guide their trip home and keep them in the palm of your hand."

Gloria was just about to get up when she heard a wail of distress.

The young angel gazed over to where Kassie was sitting and saw that she had started to cry.

"Kassie, what's wrong, sweetheart? Come here." With that, Gloria picked Kassie up and secured her in her lap. She started stroking her hair and making calming circles on her back.

Kassie buried her face in her mother's shoulder and continued to cry. She didn't know why she was upset, she just knew she had made a new friend and now her new friend was gone. And to make matters worse, Kassie felt lonely. She knew she shouldn't feel that way with Gloria, Monica and Tess there, but she did.

Gloria guessed what was wrong with Kassie and tried to help her feel better.

"Shh, it's okay, sweetheart. It's all right now. I know you miss Kathy, but she'll be back."

This got Kassie to calm down a little bit, but she was still upset.

Gloria tried to think of ways to cheer Kassie up. She suggested that they come up with a list of things to do when Kathy came to visit again.

This got Kassie's mind off Kathy's temporary absence for a little bit.

As Gloria helped Kassie make out the list, she smiled. She was glad she was able to cheer Kassie up.

Little did Gloria know that she would be seeing Melissa

and Kathy again sooner than Friday night…


	7. Chapter 7

DISC: If you recognize them, I don't own them. Martha Williamson does. I only own Kassie and anyone else you don't recognize.

God loves you

"Second Chances-The Toddler Years"

Chapter 7

Kassie sighed as she turned over, trying to get some sleep later that night.

Gloria had tucked her in a while ago, but for some reason the little girl couldn't fall asleep.

A part of her wanted to get out of bed and go cuddle with Gloria in hers, but she wasn't sure if she would get in trouble for it.

Kassie hadn't been in trouble with Gloria since she had found her and she didn't want it to change.

As Kassie lay there, trying to ignore the pain in her stomach and the way it was making her feel, she sighed. She wished Gloria was there, but she didn't want to get in trouble by getting up and going to find her mother.

Kassie hugged the teddy bear that Gloria had bought for her close just as the pain in her tummy seemed to double.

The only thing stopping her from getting out of bed to find her mother was fear.

Clutching her teddy bear close, Kassie tried to ignore the pain just as her bedroom door opened, revealing Gloria.

"Kassie? Honey, what are you doing awake?" Gloria asked as she approached the bed. She noticed how her daughter was laying and grew concerned immediately. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

Kassie was confused. She thought Gloria would be angry at her, but apparently, her new mother wasn't like that.

Taking a leap of faith, Kassie locked eyes with Gloria before telling her what was wrong.

"Mama, I hurt!"

This got Gloria worried.

"Kass, what's hurting you?" She asked. She reached her arms out and was surprised when Kassie crawled into her lap without any prompting.

"My tummy!" Kassie cried as the dam broke. "Mama, I feel cold!"

"Okay, Kass. It's all right. I'm gonna take care of you. Why didn't you come and get me?" She asked. She wasn't scolding her daughter. She just was curious.

"I was scared!" Kassie admitted as more pain stabbed at her stomach.

"Okay, all right. It's okay. I'm gonna help you feel better." With that, she put a hand to Kassie's forehead and realized she was very hot. "Okay, bath time for you." She picked Kassie up and carried her into the bathroom.

She held her close as she prepared the bath for her.

Once the water was set, Gloria lowered the three-year-old gently into it.

Kassie started whimpering a little the second her skin hit the water, but she didn't cry out or try and get out of the tub.

Gloria understood why and it broke her heart.

"Shh, shh, I know it's cold, Kass. I know. But you need to stay in there for a little bit. It'll help you not feel so hot. I'm not gonna leave you. And after your bath, we can cuddle okay?"

Kassie nodded, even though she was still crying.

Fifteen minutes later, Gloria took Kassie out of the tub. She wrapped her in a warm towel and changed her into a new set of pj's.

After that was done, Gloria got Kassie some Tylenol and some Ginger Ale, along with an empty bucket.

She brought the supplies back to her room and set them by the bed.

"Okay, sweetheart. Come here." She took Kassie into her arms and held her close. She planted a kiss on Kassie's head and started stroking her hair while singing to her. She just prayed it would help her feel better.

Once Kassie was calm, Gloria gave her the Tylenol.

Kassie took it without a problem, which surprised Gloria.

"Good girl." Gloria praised. "You're being so good for me." She told her.

"I am?" Kassie asked.

"Yes you are." Gloria affirmed. "Mama's very proud of you."

She continued to sing in an effort to help Kassie fall asleep.

Just then, Monica poked her head in the room.

"Is Kassie all right?" She asked in concern.

"She will be." Gloria replied. "I think she caught the flu."

The Irish angel nodded.

"Well I know she'll feel better with you taking care of her."

Gloria blushed at the praise.

"Is there anything I can get you?" She asked her case worker.

Gloria shook her head.

"No. It's okay. Thanks though. I just want Kassie to get better."

"She will in the Father's time." Monica assured her. She stayed with Gloria and Kassie for a little bit.

As Gloria was getting comfortable, Kassie started to stir.

Her blue eyes opened and she yawned.

Sensing someone else in the room, the three-year-old tensed in her mother's arms.

"Kass, it's okay." Gloria assured her. "It's just Aunt Monica. She wouldn't hurt you. She just came to see if you were okay."

Kassie nodded, but she stayed perfectly still and didn't say anything.

"Gloria, just give her time." Monica advised. "She'll learn to trust me again. Remember, for all intense purposes, she doesn't know who I am. I didn't come to help her until she was four."

Gloria nodded. She remembered the story Monica had told her about when she first met Kassie.

"Then how come she remembered me?" Gloria asked.

Monica shrugged.

"I'm not sure. The Father made it so for a reason. You know He knows what He's doing."

"I know." Gloria replied. She was about to say more, when Kassie started to whimper.

"Shh, shh, Kass, it's okay. I have you. I'm right here."

Kassie's whimpers continued, even though she felt safe. She wasn't scared, but something was wrong.

"Kassie, can you tell me what's wrong? I won't be mad." Gloria assured her daughter.

Kassie took a deep breath before attempting to answer her question.

But just as she did, her stomach twisted. Before she knew it, she had thrown up all over Gloria and herself.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Kassie whimpered fearfully.

Ignoring her wet shirt, Gloria concentrated on easing Kassie's fears.

"Kass, shh, it's okay. It's okay. I'm not mad at you, baby. It wasn't your fault. Is your tummy still feeling bad?"

Kassie nodded and Gloria managed to get her to the bathroom this time.

Once Kassie's stomach had calmed down, Gloria decided they needed a shower.

As she set the water, Kassie started to shake and let out a fearful wail.

This affectively brought Tess into the room. She had been told what was going on by Monica.

"Little angel, is everything okay? Do you need my help?"

"No. We're fine." Gloria replied. "Kassie, it's okay, honey. It's all right. This shower will be different. It'll be nice and warm. Have you ever taken one before?"

Kassie shook her head.

"Well, it's really fun." Gloria said. "I know you're gonna like it. It's just like swimming in a water fall."

This got Kassie's attention.

Her whimpers died down a little and she gazed up at Gloria.

"A wahterfall?" She repeated.

Gloria nodded.

"Yup. Do you wanna try it? I promise I won't let anything happen to you."

Kassie nodded reluctantly and allowed Gloria to pick her up.

Once Kassie was safely in her arms, Gloria stepped into the shower slowly, allowing Kassie to get used to it.

After holding her daughter for a few minutes, Gloria asked her if she wanted her to put her down.

Kassie nodded.

Gloria did so and was relieved when Kassie seemed to calm almost instantly once the water hit her.

"Well it looks like you have everything under control in here." Tess said with a smile. "I'll see you two when you get out." With that, she left the bathroom.

Gloria washed Kassie's hair and body before washing her own. She allowed Kassie to play with the water a little, but instructed her to be careful.

After the shower was over, Gloria wrapped Kassie in another towel and dressed her in new pj's yet again. She then got another pair for herself.

"How about a story before you go to sleep?" Gloria suggested.

Kassie nodded. She liked the sound of that.

"Ariel's story?" She asked.

Gloria grinned.

"You got it, kiddo."

That's how Monica found them a few minutes later. She smiled at the sight as she watched her case worker and her daughter interact.

Gloria had even managed to get Kassie to drink some juice after assuring her she wouldn't get mad if she got sick again.

When it looked like the juice was going to stay down, Gloria tucked Kassie in bed next to her and sang her to sleep.

She prayed Kassie would feel better soon. She didn't' like seeing her daughter in pain.

But the third angel knew that as long as she put it into God's hands, everything would work out. With that, she closed her eyes and joined her daughter in dreamland for the rest of the night…


	8. Chapter 8

DISC: If you recognize them, I don't own them. Martha Williamson does. I only own Kassie and anyone else you don't recognize.

God loves you

A/N: I hope everyone likes this next chapter. Just think of it as a break from the assignment, just so nobody gets confused.

"Second Chances=The Toddler Years"

Chapter 8

Kassie gazed around in confusion at the lush grass and landscape before her.

She didn't know where she was, but she knew one thing-she wanted out. Even more than that, she wanted-no she needed to find her mother.

As she moved through the spacious field, Kassie could hear a familiar song playing. She recognized it as one her mother had sang a few years before she had come into her life. She had also heard her sing it a lot since God had brought them together.

Praying and hoping it would lead her out of the maze she was in or to Gloria, the nine-year-old followed the comforting sound.

As she walked through a particularly colorful flower patch, she heard the song grow closer and closer.

Quickening her pace, the nine-year-old found herself at the base of a mountain.

It wasn't a big one, but it was certainly tall.

"Okay. Time to put my climbing skills to the test." She said to nobody in particular.

As she started to climb, she heard the song following her as though it was guiding her along.

As she continued her ascent, she started feeling tired and weak. She didn't understand what was going on. She had felt fine when she had started.

As she reached the top, she found she couldn't go any further. She was beginning to feel dizzy and her head was starting to hurt.

It was then that she heard her mother's voice in her head.

"When you can't take another step, God will carry you the rest of the way. All you have to do is ask. All you have to do is ask…"

Taking a deep breath, Kassie stopped climbing and closed her eyes. She willed herself not to fall asleep, but she closed her eyes nonetheless.

"Father, please help me. Help me get to the top and help me find my Mom. I need her help. Please."

Once she was done praying, she stayed still for a few minutes to rest.

It was in that moment that the little girl felt a warm breeze brush against her face.

She suddenly felt a little more energetic and climbed the rest of the way without too much trouble.

Once she reached the top, she collapsed from tiredness and pain. She closed her eyes and was asleep within minutes.

She soon felt someone holding her and heard a familiar voice meet her ears.

"Kassie? Kass, it's time to wake up, sweetheart."

Kassie's blue eyes opened and she realized who was holding her.

She relaxed immediately at her mother's familiar touch.

"Mom?" She asked.

"Uh-huh." Gloria confirmed. "I have you, sweetheart. You're okay now."

"What's going on?" She asked. She tried to get out of Gloria's embrace, but her mother held fast.

"Kass, stop." Gloria said. "You need to rest."

"I need answers." Kassie retorted. She ceased struggling, but her eyes spoke volumes. "Mom, what's going on? Why do I feel so weak?"

"Your body's fighting a virus." Gloria replied. "You'll be fine in a few days."

Kassie nodded.

"But why did God make me three again? I don't understand. I don't even know what happened. I went into the bathroom and all of a sudden, I felt dizzy and I fell to my knees and when I woke up, I was…I was so scared! I just want to be myself again!"

Gloria's heart broke for her daughter who was now sobbing in her arms.

"Shh, shh, Kassie, I know you are." Gloria assured her. "But you need to trust the Father. He would never put you in harm's way. I don't know why He did it, but He has a good reason. You'll figure it out in His time. I promise."

Kassie nodded as more tears came.

"I don't know what to do!" Kassie confessed. "I'm scared all the time and I don't want to be scared of you! I know I shouldn't be. You've never hurt me. It's just I remember what "she" did to me and I…I have all these thoughts going on in my head and I can't sort them out! All I know is I feel safe with you, but I don't want to get in trouble and a small part of me knows who Aunt Monica and Grandma Tess are, but I'm scared of them too! But I Know I shouldn't be! I hate this! Mom, I can't do this!" With that, she broke down in her mother's arms, heart wrenching sobs wracking her small form.

"Kassie…" Gloria said, trying to fight back tears of her own. "Kass, that's not true. I know you can do this. And God knows you can do this. He knows you're afraid, but He also knows you. You can do this, honey."

"No I can't!" Kassie sobbed. "Mom, I…I can't!"

"Shh, shh, Kass, it's okay. It's okay. I'm right here. I have you. I'm not going anywhere. You're safe, sweetheart. You're as safe as you can be."

"I know, but I'm still scared! When you're not there with me, I feel like I can't breathe. But I know you can't be with me every second of every day. It was fine when I was my normal age, but my three-year-old self can't handle you not being there! I want to trust Aunt Monica, I really do. But every time I try to put my trust in someone else, I feel scared and I can't do it!"

"Kassie, you'll be able to trust her again. I promise. " Gloria assured her.

Kassie let out another sob as she felt Gloria comb her fingers through her hair.

"I know I'm hurting her and I don't want to do that! I never want to hurt her or you."

"I know, sweetie. " Gloria said gently. "But Aunt Monica knows you're not doing it to hurt her. She does."

"Gloria's right. " A familiar Irish lilt stated from just beside Gloria on her left. "I do."

Kassie lifted her head from her mother's shoulder and locked gazes with her aunt.

Monica responded by holding her arms out to her niece.

Gloria let Kassie go and she practically flew into Monica's embrace.

As she felt her wrap her arms around her, more tears came.

Kassie knew these were tears of guilt.

"Aunt Monica, I'm so sorry!" Kassie cried. "I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to…" Her voice trailed off as she started to cough.

Gloria intervened at that point. She didn't want Kassie making herself sick.

"Kass, take a deep breath." She instructed kindly. She put a hand on her shoulder to help her steady her breathing.

Kassie tried, although it was hard.

Both Gloria and Monica praised her on her efforts.

"That's my girl." Gloria said. "You're okay, Kass. We're both here and so is God. You're gonna be okay."

"Kassie, listen to me." Monica said softly. "There's something I need to tell you and I need you to listen very carefully."

"Okay." Kassie said tearfully.

"Good girl. Now, first of all, I don't blame you for how you feel. I would never blame you for that. Secondly, I know you're not ignoring me to hurt me. I Know that. I know you're afraid. I also know your three-year-old self doesn't understand what's going on and you're scared of everyone you don't know. That includes me."

"But it shouldn't!" Kassie protested tearfully. "I could see me being a little afraid of Grandma Tess when she gets loud with Mom or something, but not you. I could never be afraid of you!"

"Sweetheart, you know that now, but your three-year-old self doesn't know that. You don't even know who I am. But I promise you, in the Father's time, you'll learn to trust me again. And I'll help you in any way I can. I love you so much, Kassie."

"I love you too!" Kassie cried.

"I know you do." Monica assured her.

"But why do I remember Mom and not you?" She asked as she started calming down.

"Because the Father made it so." Monica answered. "He knew you needed someone to help you through this assignment and He knew you trusted Gloria above any other angel. Even before she adopted you, you trusted her. Also, I was only assigned to you once before."

"What?" Kassie asked in surprise. "Why don't I remember that?"

Monica smiled as Gloria came and took Kassie back from her.

"You were only four." Monica said. "And I didn't reveal myself as an angel to you. I was just your nanny for the summer."

Kassie nodded.

"I kind of remember that." She said fondly. "Didn't you yell at my aunt after she didn't let me eat dinner because I broke that lion statue in the living room?"

Monica nodded.

"Aye. I sure did."

"I would have loved to see that." Gloria quipped.

This actually got a giggle out of Kassie.

"Just remember that I love you very much." Monica told her. "And I would never hurt you."

"I'll try." Kassie replied as she snuggled into Gloria for a cuddle.

Monica nodded. Then she was gone.

Kassie was about to ask Gloria where she had gone, when she started feeling strange. The pain in her stomach was back and she was starting to feel sick.

"Mom?" She said shakily.

Gloria heard the panic in her daughter's voice instantly.

"Kassie, what is it, sweetheart?"

"I don't feel…I don't feel so good! My stomach hurts and I…I think I'm gonna…" Her voice trailed off as she swallowed hard.

"Kassie, it's okay. Listen to me." Gloria said, knowing she didn't have much time. "I want you to close your eyes." She instructed.

"Mom!" Kassie's voice was desperate and full of fear. "Mom, help me, please!"

"Shh, I'm going to." Gloria assured her. "But I need you to close your eyes for me. Trust me."

Kassie had no trouble doing that. She did as her mother asked, even though she was feeling more nauseous by the second.

As she did so, she felt Gloria stroking her hair and heard her say she was a good girl and just to relax.

Once Kassie was calm, Gloria continued to speak to her.

"We need to go back to the house now." She explained. "But don't worry. I'm gonna take care of you."

"No!" Kassie begged, her eyes opening once again. "Mom, please, no! I can't! Please! No!" She was sobbing once again, her breaths coming in gasps as her stomach twisted painfully.

"Kassie, listen to me." Gloria said gently, but firmly. "We have to. You're gonna be okay. I'm not gonna leave you. When you wake up, I'll be right there, just like I am now. But you need to trust me. I know you can do it." With that, she coaxed the nine-year-old to close her eyes once again and started singing to her to calm her down.

"Please, no. Please!" Kassie begged tearfully.

"Shh, shh, Kass, it's okay. I have you. You're okay. It's okay…" Gloria assured her. "Mommy has you. You're safe, sweetheart. You're safe. You're safe…"

When Kassie opened her eyes once again, she found herself back in her mother's bed. She was still feeling horrible. She immediately started crying as the fear returned in earnest.

It was then that she heard a soft voice address her and she knew who it was.

"Kassie? Shh, it's okay. Come here,." With that, Gloria took her into her arms again. She held her and stroked her hair until her breathing slowed down. "There you go." She said gently. "That's my girl. What's wrong with my baby girl, hmm? Did something scare you?"

Kassie shook her head. She remembered what her mother had told her in God's country and tried to find comfort in her embrace.

"Can you tell me what's wrong?" Gloria asked gently. "You can take your time. It's okay if you take your time."

Kassie nodded. She buried her face in Gloria's shoulder as another sob escaped her lips.

"I'm scared!" She cried.

"I know you are." Gloria soothed. "I know. But you're safe with me. I'm gonna take care of you and so will Aunt Monica, Aunt Abby and Grandma Tess. They love you too."

Kassie didn't know why, but she felt a sense of comfort when Gloria had said Abby's name. It was true Abby was on her own assignment and Kassie hadn't met her yet, but she didn't' feel scared of her.

It was then that the little girl got the sudden urge to ask a question. She had to ask. She had to know. She didn't know if it was her mother holding her that was making her feel braver all of a sudden. All she knew was she didn't feel as afraid as she had before.

"Aunt Abby coming back soon?"

This question caught Gloria off guard for a second. She wasn't ready for Kassie to ask that. She was sure that she would feel just as weary around Abby when she did return as she did around Monica and Tess now.

But as Gloria thought about it some more, she realized why Kassie probably didn't feel scared around her. The two shared a special and very strong connection.

While it was true that Abby had only been with them for a little over two years, she and Kassie had grown very close in that amount of time.

"She'll be back soon." Gloria affirmed. "And she'll be very happy to see you."

Kassi nodded. She then asked another question she wasn't so sure she wanted the answer to.

""Aunt Monica mad at me?" She asked softly.

"Oh no, Kass. No. Of course not. She loves you."

Kassie nodded. It was then that she remembered something else.

"Never hurt me." She said softly.

Gloria smiled.

"That's right, sweetheart. I would never hurt you and neither would Aunt Monica or Aunt Abby or Grandma Tess. We all love you so much."

"Gloria's right." Monica said as she entered the room. She gave Kassie a warm smile as she sat down across from them. She didn't want to scare her. "I love you very much."

Kassie glanced up and locked eyes with her aunt before snuggling into Gloria once again.

"Kassie?" Gloria said in an effort to gain her daughter's attention.

Kassie glanced up at Gloria.

"Mama has to go to the bathroom." She explained. "Then I'm gonna get you something to drink. Would it be okay if Aunt Monica held you until I get back? If you don't want her to hold you, you can lay on your own. That's okay too." She made sure she gave Kassie the option of laying on her own. She didn't want her to think she had to allow Monica to hold her if she wasn't ready.

Kassie thought about this for a few minutes before taking the plunge.

Monica locked eyes with Kassie and gave her another warm smile.

"Kassie, do you want to sit with me while your Mama gets you something to drink? I won't hurt you. I promise."

Kassie locked eyes with Monica before nodding slowly.

Monica sent a silent prayer up to God as Gloria relinquished Kassie to her.

"I'll be right back." Gloria told them. She stole a kiss on Kassie's head before leaving the room.

Once she was gone, Kassie tensed. She couldn't help it. It was an automatic reaction whenever someone besides Gloria held her.

The Irish angel took it in stride.

She spoke softly and gently to Kassie in an effort to calm her.

"Kassie, it's all right." She assured her niece. "Your Mama will be back. You're safe with me. It's okay. Here, why don't I read you a story until she gets back? Would you like that?"

Kassie thought about this for a minute before nodding.

"Okay." She said softly.

Monica grinned.

""Let's see…" She said as she took a book from the night stand. "How about Ariel the Spy?"

Kassie nodded.

As the Irish angel opened the book and started to read, she felt Kassie relax.

That's how Gloria found them a few minutes later. She grinned at the sight and sat down across from them. She didn't want to disturb the cute sight.

She sent a silent prayer up to God as she watched Monica reading Kassie the last of the story. She knew it was He who had made this break through possible. And Gloria couldn't have been more grateful than she was at that very moment…


	9. Chapter 9

DISC: If you recognize them, I don't own them. Martha Williamson does. I only own Kassie and anyone else you don't recognize.

God loves you

"Second Chances-The Toddler Years"

Chapter 9

Gloria awoke the next morning to sun streaming into her bedroom window. She smiled down at Kassie and gave her a kiss on her cheek.

She was happy to discover her fever had broken.

As she got out of bed, she decided to let Kassie wake up on her own. Besides, she needed the rest.

Getting to the kitchen, Gloria was met by a door opening and a very familiar voice calling out.

"Angels, I'm home!"

"Abby!" Gloria greeted while embracing her case worker. "Hey! How was your assignment?"

"Interesting." Abby replied while hugging back. "I missed you though. Where's my favorite niece?"

"Still sleeping. " Gloria replied. "She came down with the flu last night. Her fever broke this morning though, thank the Father. You're welcome to go check on her though. I know she's anxious to see you."

Abby nodded. She pulled away from Gloria and frowned.

"How long has she been three?"

Gloria shook her head. She wasn't even surprised that Abby knew what had happened to Kassie in the last day and a half.

Given the kind of angel Abby was, Gloria would have been surprised if she didn't know.

"Why don't you go and see if Kassie's awake." She suggested.

Abby nodded.

Before she left, she asked Gloria for a favor.

"Could you get my stuff out of the car? I sort of brought a new member of the family back with me."

Gloria raised her eyebrows, but didn't say anything. She figured Abby had a good reason for whatever she had brought back with her.

Abby grinned after her supervisor and best friend.

"Thanks!" She called after her as she left in the direction of Kassie's room.

"I love you too!" Gloria called back.

Entering Kassie's room, Abby was surprised when she didn't find her there. She didn't panic though.

It didn't take her long to find her niece.

She opened the door to Gloria's room and found the little girl awake.

She still looked a little rundown, but otherwise she was fine.

"Hey, sweetheart." Abby greeted her. "I know you probably don't remember me…" She approached Kassie slowly, not wanting to startle her.

Kassie nodded in her direction. She grinned and held her arms up, surprising her aunt.

"Aunt Abby!" She said happily.

"Aw, hi, sweetheart. Up you come." Abby said as she bent down and picked Kassie up. "I missed you."

"Missed you too." Kassie told her truthfully. She laid her head against Abby's shoulder as her aunt held her.

All of a sudden, she raised her head up and reached her hand up and touched the right side of Abby's face.

"You're nervous." Kassie said suddenly.

Abby was taken aback that she and Kassie's emotional connection was still there.

"How did you…" Her voice trailed off as Kassie shrugged and grinned at her. "Yeah, yeah. You know what? The knowing what I'm feeling when I don't want anyone else to know, not cute."

"I love you." Kassie replied as though it settled the matter.

"I love you too." Abby assured her. "But let's keep that little fact of my feelings between us, shall we?"

"Okay." Kassie replied as they entered the kitchen.

"Abby, how did you get a dog?" Gloria asked the minute she saw her case worker enter the room.

"I guess the whole he followed me home excuse won't work?" She tried lightly.

Gloria shook her head, but she was grinning.

"Nope. Try again."

"Well, the family I was working with had puppies and they wanted to give me a gift in return for what I did for them. I told them they didn't have to, but they insisted and well…here we are."

Kassie smiled upon seeing the Siberian husky on the floor.

"Wolf!" She squealed happily.

Abby giggled as she set Kassie down.

"Not a wolf, sweetheart. She's a Siberian husky. She's like a wolf though."

"Can I pet her?" Kassie asked.

Abby nodded.

"Yes. But you need to be gentle."

"Okay, Aunt Abby." She said sweetly.

Gloria looked on in amazement. This was the most relaxed she had seen her daughter ever since she was turned back into her three-year-old self.

"What's her name?" Kassie asked, gazing up at Abby.

Abby smiled.

"Faith." She replied.

"How fitting." Gloria said with a giggle.

"I thought it was pretty." Abby said defensively.

"I like it." Kassie chimed in.

"See? Kassie likes it." Abby said. She stuck her tongue out at her supervisor playfully. "Two against one. Besides, Faith suits her."

"I'm not complaining." Gloria said. She threw her arms up in a gesture of surrender just as Tess joined them.

"Hey baby." She greeted when she saw Abby was back. "How was your…" Her voice trailed off when she saw Faith and Kassie playing on the floor. "…how did a Siberian husky get into our house? More importantly, what is it doing here?"

Abby stood up and faced Tess head on.

"First of all, it's a she. Secondly her name is Faith. Thirdly, my assignment's family gave her to me as a gift."

Tess nodded. She narrowed her eyes before a small smile spread across her face.

"Your fortunate I'm a dog person." She said.

Kassie gazed up at her grandmother.

"Faith's nice." She said.

Tess smiled despite herself. She was glad Kassie was talking to her.

"Well I'm glad you think so, baby." Tess replied.

Kassie turned to Abby.

"Can we take her for a walk, Aunt Abby, please?"

"Sure we can, kiddo. But you need to eat breakfast first and then get ready. You can't go in your pajamas."

Kassie shook her head and giggled as Abby started tickling her lightly.

After Kassie ate some oatmeal and Gloria was sure she wasn't hurting as much as the night before, she took her upstairs and got her ready for the day.

Once Kassie was ready and Abby had unpacked and fed Faith, she showed Kassie how to put the leash on her and the three were off.

Gloria smiled after them. She was glad Kassie was feeling better. Little did hse know how short it would last…


	10. Chapter 10

DISC: If you recognize them, I don't own them. Martha Williamson does. I only own Kassie and anyone else you don't recognize.

God loves you

A/N: I'm glad everyone is enjoying this story! Here's the next chapter!

"Second Chances-The Toddler Years"

Chapter 10

Abby and Kassie returned from walking Faith an hour later. Abby let Kassie help feed her and then they let her eat while they retired to the living room to play a few games of Candy Land and Go Fish.

Gloria was happy her daughter was enjoying herself and Abby's company.

"What do you wanna do now, kiddo?" Abby asked after they played their third game of Go Fish.

Kassie shrugged.

"I don't know." She said, making Abby giggle.

"How about I teach you a new game?" Her aunt suggested.

"Okay!" Kassie readily agreed.

"It's called hot and cold." Abby told her. "I hide something and then you try to find it. If you're close to finding it, I say you're getting hotter. If you're faraway from where I hid it, you're cold."

Kassie nodded.

"Let's play!" She said excitedly. "Please, Aunt Abby?"

"How can I say no after you asked me so nicely? Come on!" With that, Abby went to hide something of Kassie's that she could find easily, while still making the game fun.

"Okay, sweetheart," Abby said after a few minutes. "Ready to play?"  
"Yup!" Kassie said excitedly.

"All right. I've hidden something down here. You don't have to go upstairs to find it." She explained. She wanted to keep the game as simple as possible so she could keep track of the little girl at the same time.

"Okay." Kassie said.

As the little girl started searching, Abby watched her with a grin on her face a mile wide. She was glad her nice was having fun. She already knew some of what Kassie's biological mother had done to her and she was so glad the Father had placed Kassie with them. She was a sweet little angel and Abby couldn't understand how someone could hurt her.

Abby was pulled from her thoughts by Kassie's voice.

"Aunt Abby?"

"Yes, honey?" Abby replied.

"Am I hot or cold?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, sweetie." She gazed to where Kassie was before answering her. "You're getting warmer." She replied.

Kassie nodded.

"Goody!" She cheered.

Abby laughed. She followed Kassie in the direction of the playroom.

They could hear music coming from the music room. This meant Tess was playing the piano.

As they entered the playroom, Kassie stopped and looked at Abby expectantly.

"You're getting warmer." Abby told her.

Kassie nodded.

She started searching the playroom from top to bottom before she found what her aunt had hid.

"I found it!" Kassie said triumphantly. "Aunt Abby, I found it!"

Abby grinned.

"Yes you did, baby. You found Rajah! Good girl!"

"Again, play again! Please?" Kassie asked sweetly.

"Okay." Abby said. "One more time for today and then we need to see what your Mom's doing. I think she said something about making tacos for dinner."

This got a smile out of Kassie.

After playing the hot and cold game one more time with Abby hiding something else, they read a few books before Gloria joined them.

"Are you having fun, Kass?" She asked. She ruffled her daughter's hair and kissed her cheek.

Kassie nodded.

"Uh-huh. Mama, Aunt Abby teachted me a new game." Kassie told her mother.

"It's taught. " Gloria corrected automatically. She made sure her tone was gentle when she corrected her.

"Taught." Kassie replied.

"Good girl!" Gloria praised. "What game did Aunt Abby teach you?"

"Hot and cold." Kassie replied. "It was fun! She hidded Rajah and Oliver!"

"She did, huh?" Gloria said as she took Kassie from Abby's lap and started tickling her.

Kassie's giggles filled the room, making Gloria grin.

"Did you find them?" She asked.

"UH-huh." Kassie replied.

"That's great! Now what do you say you take a nap and when you wake up, we'll make dinner together." Gloria suggested.

Kassie shook her head.

"I don't wanna take a nap, Mama." She said softly.

Gloria frowned. She could tell Kassie was retreating back into her safety zone.

"Sweetheart, why don't we watch a movie quietly for a while and just rest together. Would you like that?" She asked.

Kassie nodded.

"Okay." She agreed.

Gloria let Kassie pick the movie and they settled down a few minutes later.

Halfway through "Ariel's Beginning," Kassie fell asleep in Gloria's lap.

"I knew she would fall asleep soon." Gloria replied. "It was only a matter of time."

Abby nodded in agreement.

"Want me to start dinner?"

Gloria shook her head.

"I'll start it after Kass wakes up. I told her she could help and I don't want to go back on my word."

Abby nodded.

"Okay. I'm gonna see if Faith needs to go out and I'll be right back."

Gloria nodded.

"Okay." With that, she settled back against the couch with Kassie still in her lap. She gave her a kiss and stroked her hair as the movie continued.

When Abby returned, she sat beside Gloria and held out her arms.

"Can I hold her for a little bit?" She asked.

Gloria held onto Kassie for a minute longer before relinquishing her over to her case worker.

"Thanks." Abby replied. "She's so cute." She commented.

"She certainly is that." Gloria agreed.

Abby grinned.

"Ooh, I could just eat her up!"

"As her mother I have to say no." Gloria said with a laugh.

Abby giggled.

Just then, Tess came into the room.

"Eat who up?" She asked as she took a seat on the chair to the right of the couch.

"Kassie." Gloria replied.

Tess smiled at the little girl in Abby's arms.

"She is a cutie-pie." She said. "Listen, Monica will be back soon from her small assignment. I was thinking we could go out for dinner."

Gloria shook her head.

"I promised Kassie we would make dinner here." She told her superior. "She wants to help me make it."

Tess nodded.

"Okay. We can always go out tomorrow." She decided.

A few days later, Abby was watching Kassie while Gloria went to return some books to the library. She also was going to pick up some things at the grocery store.

Kassie had wanted to play with her Grandma Tess, but Tess didn't have time. She was currently getting ready for an assignment.

As for Monica and Tess, the two were heading out on an assignment together.

Kassie was currently putting a puzzle together on the floor. She had been drawing for the past half an hour, but quickly grew bored of it.

As she put the last piece in the TLM puzzle she was putting together, she grinned up at Abby.

"Done!" She announced.

"You are, huh?" She replied.

Kassie nodded.

"Wow!" Abby said as she stared down at her niece's work. "It looks great!"

Kassie grinned.

"Can we play hot and cold, Aunt Abby? Please?"

"Okay." Abby replied. "Let's clean up this puzzle first."

"No." Kassie said. "I want Mama to see it." She explained.

"Okay. We can put it on the table then." Abby moved the puzzle to the coffee table before turning to face her niece. "Okay, let's play. Let me just find something to hide."

Kassie shook her head.

"No. I wanna hide something this time. Please?"

"Okay." Abby said. "Go ahead. But be careful."

"Okay." With that, Kassie went upstairs to hide something back downstairs.

When she came back down, she grinned triumphantly.

"I'm done." She announced.

"Okay." Abby said. She was about to start looking for whatever Kassie had hidden when Tess came downstairs. She looked frustrated about something.

"Have you two seen my keys?" She asked.

Abby shook her head.

"Nope. Can't say that I have." She said honestly.

Kassie frowned. She had a feeling she was in trouble. She knew her Mama and Aunt Abby and Aunt Monica wouldn't hurt her, but she knew Tess yelled sometimes. She didn't like it when she did that.

She backed up into Abby for protection.

Tess saw this and frowned.

"Kassie, baby, have you seen Grandma's car keys?" She asked.

Kassie nodded.

"Yes." She replied.

"Okay." Tess said, trying to remain calm. "Can you tell me where the yare?"

"NO." Kassie said.

"Why not?" Tess asked.

Abby could tell Tess was close to losing her temper and she quickly reminded her to stay cool.

"Whatever she says," She reminded her superior, "you can't yell at her."

Tess sighed.

"I know." She replied. She turned her attention back to Kassie. "Baby, why can't you tell me where my keys are?"

"Because I hid them." She replied.

It took all of Tess's resolve not to scream.

"Why would you do that?" Tess asked.

"Play hot and cold." Kassie replied.

It then dawned on Abby what Kassie had hidden.

"Kass?" She said, getting her attention. "Why don't you tell Grandma where her keys are and you can hide something else. Okay?" She suggested.

Kassie nodded.

"Okay, Aunt Abby." She left the room and Tess followed her.

They stopped in front of the fish bowl that held various small objects such as loose change, paper clips and pens.

"Here you go, Grandma Tess." Kassie said. She handed her the car keys and frowned. "I'm sorry."

Tess sighed as her frustration disappeared. She knelt down to Kassie's level.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I shouldn't have left them lying around. But please don't touch them in the future unless I tell you you can."

"Okay." Kassie agreed.

"Aw, thatta good girl. I love you." She said sincerely.

"I love you too." Kassie replied. She allowed Tess to hug her and she hugged back.

Once they pulled away, Tess stood up, keys in hand and left to join Monica at the car. She was probably wondering what was going on by now.

After they left, Kassie let Abby hide something of hers and they played one game of hot and cold.

Gloria arrived home two hours later to find Kassie sleeping and Abby playing tetras on her laptop.

"How did everything go?" Gloria asked as she set the bags on the counter.

Abby shrugged as she got up to help Gloria put the groceries away.

"Fine. Unless you count Tess almost having a heart attack."

"What happened?" Gloria asked. She was more amused than worried. By the tone Abby had used, the second youngest angel had a feeling it had to do with her car.

"Well Kass wanted to play hot and cold, so I said yes. She told me she wanted to hide something this time, so I allowed her to with some conditions around it. She went to hide something and came back downstairs. She ended up hiding Tess' car keys. You should have seen her face!"

Gloria giggled, but then she became serious.

"She didn't yell at her, did she?" She asked worriedly.

"No." Abby replied. "I stopped her."

"Good." Gloria said. "Thanks, Abb. You're a lifesaver."

"No problem. After Tess left, we played hot and cold the right way and the new read a few books. She had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch and then I put her down for a nap."

"Did she go down?" Gloria asked.

"Yup. I sung to her and read her one more story and she was out halfway through Ariel's Treasure Hunt."

Gloria grinned.

"You're amazing, you know that?"  
Abby grinned as a blush crept up her cheeks.

"I'm good with kids. What can I say? I love 'em."

Gloria laughed as she ruffled Abby's hair as she started getting the toppings out for the tacos and prepared to ground the turkey meat.

Kassie was soon heard calling for Abby. She didn't know her Mama had come home yet.

"I'm comin', Kass!" Abby called back. She left a few minutes later and returned with a very happy Kassie on her hip. "Look who's home." She set the little girl down and she ran to her mother.

"Mama!" She squealed happily.

"Hi, sweetheart!" Gloria greeted the three=year-old. "Did you and Aunt Abby have fun?"

Kassie nodded as her mother picked her up for a hug.

"We played games and read stories and she taught me a song on the piano."

"She did?" Gloria asked. "I'm glad you had fun. Guess what you get to do now?"

Kassie's eyes lit up.

"Help you make tacos!" She squealed happily.

"Yup. Why don't you wash your hands and then you can help me get the lettuce and stuff together." Gloria said.

Kassie nodded.

After Gloria set her down, she ran off to wash her hands in the downstairs bathroom and returned a few minutes later.

While Gloria and Kassie prepared the treat, Abby made sure Faith didn't eat any of the scraps on the floor.

After dinner was cooking, the three angels went to play outside for a little bit.

Kassie had fun playing tag and catch with Gloria and Abby.

That's how Monica and Tess found them when they returned from their own assignment.

Gloria left for a minute to check on the meat.

She was just spreading it out in the pan when she heard Kassie let out a fearful scream, followed by a wail.

Putting the spatula down, Gloria raced back outside to see what had scared her daughter…


End file.
